Crataegus punctata
A red-anthered form of this variable species
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Rosids
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Crataegus
Section: Crataegus sect. Coccineae
Series: Crataegus ser. Punctatae
Species:
C. punctata
Binomial name
Crataegus punctata

Crataegus punctata is a species of hawthorn known by the common names dotted hawthorn[1][2] or white haw that is native to most of the eastern United States and eastern Canada. While some sources claim it is the state flower of Missouri,[3] the actual legislation does not identify an exact species.[4] Furthermore, the Missouri Department of Conservation asserts the Crataegus mollis was specifically designated as the state flower.[5]

Description

Although many North American hawthorns are polyploid and reproduce by apomixis, this species is apparently diploid and sexual, at least throughout Ontario, Canada.[6] The name white haw refers to its distinctive pale (grey) bark, which is particularly noticeable in the winter landscape. The plant is a bush or small tree to about 7 meters in height and very thorny, particularly on the trunk. The flower has three to five styles and approximately 20 stamens, and the fruit is a pome-type polypyrenous drupe which contains three to five pits. Anther colour varies from deep purple through red to pink to white, and the mature fruit colour can be deep burgundy, scarlet, yellow, or yellow with a red cheek.

  • Flowers of a white-anthered form
    Flowers of a white-anthered form
  • Fruit colour varies
    Fruit colour varies

See also

References

  1. ^ BSBI List 2007 (xls). Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-06-26. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  2. ^ USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Crataegus punctata". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  3. ^ "Missouri State Flower". 50states.com. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  4. ^ "Section 10-030 State floral emblem". mo.gov. Archived from the original on 22 October 2013. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  5. ^ anonymous. "Hawthorns". mo.gov. Archived from the original on 15 September 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2015.
  6. ^ Talent, N.; Dickinson, T.A. (2005). "Polyploidy in Crataegus and Mespilus (Rosaceae, Maloideae): evolutionary inferences from flow cytometry of nuclear DNA amounts". Canadian Journal of Botany. 83 (10): 1268–1304. doi:10.1139/b05-088.

External links

Media related to Crataegus punctata at Wikimedia Commons

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